SDP Chairman Breaks Silence on Alliance With Atiku, El-Rufai Ahead of 2027: “Our Focus Is Clear”

SDP Chairman Breaks Silence on Alliance With Atiku, El-Rufai Ahead of 2027: “Our Focus Is Clear”

  • SDP chairman Shehu Gabam has denied an alliance with PDP's Atiku Abubakar and APC's Nasir El-Rufai
  • Ahead of the 2027 elections, he stated that the SDP's major focus is to strategise and provide a credible alternative for Nigerians
  • In an interview, Gabam highlighted the failures of the APC under Tinubu's watch and the PDP, stressing the importance of creating a more competitive political platform

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Shehu Gabam, the national chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has denied rumours of a political alliance with Atiku Abubakar, the PDP 2023 presidential candidate and the former governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai, ahead of the 2027 elections.

SDP rules out 2027 alliance with El-Rufai, Atiku
SDP chairman Shehu Gabam speaks on 2027 alliance with Nasir El-Rufai and Atiku Abubakar. Photo credit: Atiku Abubakar, Nasir El-Rufai, Shehu Gabam
Source: Facebook

Speaking during an interview on Television Continental’s Politics Tonight on Sunday, January 12, Gabam maintained that SDP is focused on strengthening its structure and offering credible alternatives ahead of the next election.

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Legit.ng earlier reported that ahead of the 2027 general elections, Segun Showunmi, convener of the “National Opposition Movement”, revealed that some top politicians met.

According to Showunmi, the meeting was at the residence of SDP's Gabam.

Hamza Al-Mustapha, a retired Nigerian Army major and ex-presidential aspirant who served as chief security officer (CSO) to former head of state General Sani Abacha, was at the meeting. Former governor El-Rufai was also present.

But speaking about the meeting, Gabam said:

“There’s no alliance with anyone. As the chairman of the party, I have not engaged in any discussions about alliances. Our focus is on reviewing our strategies from 2024 and building a dynamic, inclusive platform.”

Speaking further, Gabam opened up about his discussion with Nasir El-Rufai, the chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He described him as a significant figure whose influence has caused anxiety among some political actors.

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2027: SDP chairman Gabam breaks silence on alleged alliance with El-Rufai, Atiku's allies

Gabam, however, distanced the SDP from any political alignment with the former governor.

“El-Rufai is a major force, but my relationship with him is personal, not political. Some people magnify his presence to create unnecessary controversy,” he explained.

Read more about El-Rufai, 2027 here:

Presidency tackles El-Rufai

In another development, Legit.ng earlier reported that the presidency described the allegation that Yoruba people head consequential agencies in Nigeria as "a cheap shot".

According to one of the presidential spokespersons, Bayo Onanuga, the claim is ridiculous.

Onanuga spoke after El-Rufai weighed in on Professor Farooq Kperogi’s recent criticism of alleged ethnic favouritism in President Tinubu's appointments.

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Ibori’s daughter, ex-minister, 6 top PDP chieftains who recently resigned from party

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Authors:
Esther Odili avatar

Esther Odili (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Esther Odili is a journalist and a Politics/Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng with 6+ years of experience. She Holds OND and HND in Mass Communication from the Nigerian Institue of Journalism (NIJ), where she was recognized as the best student in print journalism in 2018. Before joining Legit.ng, Esther has worked with other reputable media houses, such as the New Telegraph newspaper and Galaxy Television. In 2024, Esther obtained a certificate in advanced digital reporting from the Google News Initiative. Email: esther.odili@corp.legit.ng.